One Night Trip With Kids

Traveling with kids is a nightmare!  Ashley (five) has a cheer competition four hours away so we are spending ONE night in a hotel to make traveling "easier."

ONE NIGHT...not a whole week.

So why does it feel like we have a week long trip coming up?  Oh ya, because we have children.  They add a whole new element to traveling.  

I have to break this "trip" down into sections to make sure there is nothing that I will forget. 

Car Ride - First I have to clean the car.  It may seem pointless since it is just going to be a mess by the time we re-enter our driveway, but past experience has taught me that it in fact makes it, at least the first half of the trip, more organized.  There needs to be a baggie of batteries in case the electronic car toys run out.  As annoying as they may be, it's better hearing those than it is to hear crying because of boredom.  Movies needed to be added to the Ipad for the Ashley in order to keep her occupied.  Other toys need to be ready such as; clipboards with papers and crayons, books that have not been read in a while, soft cuddle toys, blankets, and really anything else that may keep my children busy!

Clothes/Toiletries -  This is an obvious one, since this is what anyone would have to pack when traveling.  With children though, I need to make sure I have double the clothes, diapers and wipes that I would think I would need.  All the bathroom supplies for the whole family.  Extra pillows and stuffed animals so the kids feel more comfortable with something from home to sleep with.  

Ashley's Cheer Items - We are going for a cheer competition so this may be the most important section.  I need her uniform, warm-ups, cheer socks and cheer shoes.  For her hair I need elastics, cheer bow, spray bottle, brush, and bobby pins.  She's on the tiny team and they do not do make-up, so I do not need to worry about that yet at least.  

Snacks - We will be in the car, and at the cheer competition for hours at a time.  I need to make sure I have sippy cups of milk and juice (milk will have to be bought at gas stations) and bottles of water for the rest of us.  The girls are going to need snacks to break up the boredom as well.  I will probably have a whole bag of snacks and such at the start of the trip that I hope will make it through the short weekend!

Miscellaneous - Then, there are all the other things.  Phone chargers, pacies, laptop and laptop cords, schedules for the event, and cash for miscellaneous items.  I'm sure there will be something that I will forget, let's just hope it's something we can pick up easily along the way

Pets - Remembering to schedule a place for our dog to stay, can be one of the most important checks to mark on the list.  We've had to cancel trips because we completely forgot about calling in a spot for our dog at the kennel!  It's easy to forget when we are planning a trip with kids!

Crochet items - Finally, because of my business, I need to make sure to have some crochet projects that I can work on.  I do not foresee much time that will be available for me to work, but in the case that there is, I better have stuff with me!  At least I might be able to get a little done in the car before it gets dark.

Anyways, there is a LOT to do!!!